Help & File Format Guide

Everything you need to get started with WellSpot.

Configuration

WellSpot may be run in landscape or portrait mode on your iPad. Once you have decided on the preferred configuration, it is recommended to lock it.

Getting Started

  1. Download WellSpot from the App Store on your iPad.
  2. Create a .well file that describes your sample layout (see format below).
  3. Open the file in WellSpot — use the Load button to navigate to your file. You can get files onto your iPad via:
    • iCloud Drive — save from your Mac if both devices share the same Apple ID.
    • Dropbox — use a shared folder accessible to all WellSpot users in the lab and the iPad owner.
    • Email — send the .well file as an attachment. Open it directly from Mail into WellSpot, or save it under Files on the iPad for later use.
  4. Place your well plate on the iPad screen, aligning it with the on-screen guide rectangle. Well A1 should be in the upper left corner.
  5. Start pipetting — WellSpot will display the sample ID and illuminate the target well. Tap Next to advance to the next sample.

Tip: Place the iPad on a flat, stable surface. The screen brightness will be used to illuminate the wells from below, so a dimly lit bench works best.

User Interface Elements

The Rectangle

The rectangle is a guide for positioning of the plate. Well A1 should be in the upper left corner.

Load

The Load button allows you to navigate to and read a well-file.

Clear Data

Once a sample set has been completed it may be time to load a new well-file. Clear Data will do what it says and ensure that the Start Over button does not remember the already completed set.

Start Over

Errors may sneak in even under the best circumstances. Start Over will jump to the beginning of the well-file.

Number of Wells

This is a toggle button allowing you to select either of the two supported plate sizes: 96 or 384 wells.

Pipetting Hand

Right-handed users will typically prefer to have the pipette in the right hand and handle sample vials and the WellSpot Next and Previous buttons with the left hand. And vice versa for left-handed users.

Lock Interface

To prevent accidentally hitting Clear Data (for example) once pipetting is ongoing, it is advisable to lock all buttons except the Previous and Next buttons.

FileName

Once a well-file is loaded, its name will be displayed here.

Previous

Most pipetting errors are discovered right as they happen and may thus be corrected. The Previous button jumps to the previous line in the well-file, allowing you to empty a well that received a sample it should not and then proceed.

Next

This is what WellSpot is all about: jump to the next line in the well-file, display the ID of the sample that the user should now pick, and illuminate the well where the sample should go.

The .well File Format

The input files for WellSpot are simple plain-text files. You can create them with any text editor or export them from a spreadsheet.

Format

Each line contains three columns separated by tabs:

  1. Column 1 — Sample ID (text): The identifier of the sample.
  2. Column 2 — Row number (integer): The row coordinate of the target well.
  3. Column 3 — Column number (integer): The column coordinate of the target well.

Note: Row and column coordinates are integers, not the letter-number labels printed on the plate. Row 1 corresponds to row A, row 2 to row B, and so on.

Coordinate Ranges

Plate TypeRowsColumnsCoordinate Range
96-well8 (A–H)12(1,1) to (8,12)
384-well16 (A–P)24(1,1) to (16,24)

Example

Sample_001	1	1
Sample_002	1	2
Sample_003	1	3
Sample_004	2	1
Sample_005	2	2

In this example, Sample_001 goes into row 1 (A), column 1; Sample_004 goes into row 2 (B), column 1; and so on.

Multi-Plate Sample Sets

If a sample set is too large for one plate, you can specify plate changes within the well-file. A line where all three columns contain a hyphen signals that the current plate is done and a new plate should be placed on the rectangle:

Sample_001	1	1
Sample_002	1	2
...
Sample_096	8	12
-	-	-
Sample_097	1	1
Sample_098	1	2
...

When WellSpot reaches a plate-change line, it will display a call-out where the sample ID is normally shown, prompting you to swap plates.

Creating a File from a Spreadsheet

  1. Create a spreadsheet with Sample IDs in column A, row numbers in column B, and column numbers in column C.
  2. Export / Save As a tab-delimited text file.
  3. Rename the file extension from .txt to .well so that WellSpot can recognise it.
  4. Send the file to your iPad via iCloud Drive, Dropbox, AirDrop, or email.

Tip: You can also use a good plain-text editor like BBEdit or TextMate to create well-files directly.

Frequently Asked Questions

What iPad models are supported?

WellSpot works on any iPad that runs the current version of iPadOS. For best results with physical plate placement, a full-size iPad (not mini) is recommended.

Can I use WellSpot with microarray printers?

Yes. If you use microarray printers where the patterns of compounds and ink can be confusing, WellSpot will help you get things right by illuminating the correct positions.

Does the app work offline?

Yes. Once the .well file is loaded, WellSpot works entirely offline. No internet connection is needed during pipetting.

How do I unlock 384-well plate support?

Open WellSpot and navigate to the in-app purchase section. The 384-well upgrade is a one-time purchase of $24.99. After purchase, 384-well plates are permanently unlocked.

Does WellSpot collect any data?

No. WellSpot does not collect, store, or transmit any personal data. Your sample files stay on your device. See our privacy policy for details.

I have a question not covered here.

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Ready to get started?

Download WellSpot free on the App Store.

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